


July 13, 2011 :: Maple

by schwertlilie



Series: White Flags [25]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-07
Updated: 2012-10-07
Packaged: 2017-11-15 20:34:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/531410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schwertlilie/pseuds/schwertlilie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Matthew came back from transport to Australia, he planted a maple tree. Now it's dying, and Alfred tries to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	July 13, 2011 :: Maple

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't already, I suggest going back to read the [Maskinongé of Doubt](http://archiveofourown.org/works/413659) (Canada's rebellions, 1839) before reading this one. :)

_July 13, 2011 :: Gatineau, Québec :: a warm summer's morning_

Alfred wrapped his arms around Matthew, the living room carpet soft beneath their feet, buried his nose in Matthew's hair.

"Hey," Matthew said, hand on the window pane.

"Hey yourself." He took a breath, let it out. "What's up? Haven't seen you wear such a long face since Kumajirou stole all your ice cream."

"The maple tree is dying."

"Hm?"

Matthew pointed, and sure enough, the maple at the corner of Matt's driveway was missing leaves - green leaves, like they hadn't grown in to start with. 

"Sure it's not sick or something? I could bring up my ladder, help you prune it."

"No, thank you." He sighed, leaned back against his lover. "The core of the trunk is gone."

"Maybe it's insects or something - they like trees that are already in trouble, but we might be able to save it..." 

Matt turned so that his nose touched Alfred's. "I _know_ , Al."

"All right." Because no one could argue with a nation about a particular piece of life, not when they used _that_ tone of voice. "You're not usually upset about trees."

"I know it's the way of the world, yeah." He sighed. "It's just... I planted that one when I got back from Australia. Promised myself that I would find a way out of England's control, so that he'd never separate my halves again."

"You don't just mean an imperial conference or anything, do you?"

"1840." He clenched his fists. "Arthur wanted to make an example out of me, for the other colonies, so he sentenced me to transport like the rest of the exiles. It took five months to get there, three years to earn my 'pardon,' and another two to get back to Montreal."

He shifted. "That's a long time away from home."

"You didn't notice?"

"Arthur made sure I didn't. I wondered why you weren't at the Webster-Ashburton signing, but he was managing your affairs, so..." He shrugged. "He made comments about you being in London for training or something."

Matthew snorted. "I bet that made _you_ happy."

"Yeah, _no_. But five years?" 

"Arthur insisted that I be treated the same as all the rest of the prisoners, except that I went with the French-Canadians instead of the Anglos. A year reclaiming land in Sydney, then another four working as Jack's dogsbody... And it was so awkward because-" He twisted in Alfred's arms, pulled him close. "Even though I'm older, he took care of me, and we took care of each other in the Great War. S'part of why he was so pissy at me in the '20s." 

"I thought that was because you were being a brat?"

There it was, a little bit of a chuckle as Matthew play-punched him in the shoulder. "No, it was because our interests weren't in the same direction anymore, and I was pushing for Arthur to ally with you instead of Japan to protect myself, while Australia-"

"-Wanted Arthur to keep the Anglo-Japanese alliance, I know." He walked backward, arms still around Matthew, until his spine touched the gyprocked wall. "So after you came back from transport?"

"I came back to my house – this house – cleaned it up, and planted the tree as a reminder." He sighed. "Sugar maples live near 300 years in the wild, but with the way Ottawa and Hull- _Gatineau_ have grown..."

"That sucks." At Matt's snort, Alfred tightened his arms, "I mean it."

"I know." 

They were quiet a few minutes, holding and being held, before Alfred broke the silence. "What'll you do?"

"Take it down – probably in September, before the snow starts falling. Figure out what to do with the spot after that."

"Another maple?"

"No, I don't think. Not for this." He touched their foreheads together. "I fulfilled that promise thirty years ago. A cedar instead, maybe, or a pine."

"Wanna know what I think?"

"Mm."

"Get a hemlock."

"Why that one?"

"'Cause it's one of ours, I'll help, then you'll help me plant one outside my Maryland house."

"And?"

"And what?"

"You have a meaning for it, what is it?"

He turned his face away, their temples still touching. "... That we try and make this work. For as long as we can."

"You know we can't make those kinds of promises, not with what we are."

"Why not? We've been at each other's throats enough times now. Okay, maybe not as badly as the mess that's Europe, but we've fought and killed and tried to take over each other. But we're still here."

He felt Matthew pull away, just far enough to look at Alfred's face. "You're blushing."

"No I'm not."

"Yes, you are." He kissed the corner of Alfred's mouth. "And you should be, you're practically proposing. In my hallway, next to the wall. Completely unromantic"

"More like asking you out. Don't most people ask their lovers to move in before the engagement these days?" He paused. "And since when do you care about whether I'm romantic or not?"

"I don't." He smiled. "Doesn't mean I can't tease you though, eh?"

"Dork."

"Love you too." He kissed the shell of Alfred's ear, pulled away. "And I'll think about it." 

_Totally_ not blushing. "You don't have to."

"I know," he said with a smile, before turning the corner.


End file.
